Blades’ father, William Blades, lives in Anderson. He said he has been talking to his daughter off and on since Eugene’s death.

William Blades was born and raised in Anderson. He left for the Army after graduation in 1959 and met his wife, Maxine, who was from Hawaii, in Fort Monmouth, N.J. After the Army the couple ended up in Anderson where William took a job with General Motors. “I couldn’t cut it,” he said.

In 1968, they headed to Hawaii and he worked for 20 years as a Honolulu police officer. He moved back to Anderson in 1998 to care for his ailing mother. He and Maxine divorced. Their kids, including Rene, stayed in Hawaii.

Rene Blades said she hasn’t been back to Anderson since 1976.

William Blades said he probably won’t be going to Hawaii for the funeral, which is pending. Rene said Eugene’s body has been flown back to the Dover, Del., Air Base where all who die on active duty are taken.

Terry Barquez, Rene’s sister, lives in Newman, Calif., and remembers Eugene when he was very young.

“I knew him as a baby,” she said. She and Rene used to be close, but Terry has lived in Newman for 15 years and hasn’t been back to Hawaii in five years.

“He was finally getting on his own,” Barquez said of Eugene. “It’s sad to find out he died so young and so early.”

She knows Rene wants to find out what happened.

“My sister wants closure.”

“No one knows how he died,” said Rene. “My concern is how my son died. My concern is what is going on over there.”